Sorry if this is something that is very obvious to everyone. But I've been wondering about it for a while now and it was only during my 3rd viewing that I noticed this:

In the trolls' cave, once Gandalf said the swords were made by Elves, a very brief look of annoyance crossed Thorin's face and he was about to put it down, but Gandalf said they were very fine blades and Thorin changed his mind.

Can someone please confirm this? I don't know why I didn't notice it before -- maybe because in my mind it should be common knowledge that Elven blades are the greatest blades ever made and everyone should be squealing with joy when they get their hands on them :P

When I finally noticed it, the scene with Elrond in Rivendell makes more sense when Thorin finally 'officially' accepts Orcrist.

Thorin did look as if he was about to put Orcrist back in the troll horde. Gandalf made him reconsider when he said "You could not ask for a finer blade!" After Elrond recounts a bit of Orcrist's orc-slaying history and says "May it serve you well", Thorin looks quite content with it. ...one morning long ago in the quiet of the world, when there was less noise and more green... The Hobbit

He does not like the elves (MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS IF HAVEN"T READ BOOK)
[In reply to]

Can't Post

When Erebor was taken and the Dwarves tried to retake Moiria(?) they recieved no help from anyone. Thranduil (in the movie) was right there on the ridge overlooking Erebor and turned away, leaving the dwarves to fend for themselves. So Thorin hates everything about them. By his taking Orcrist afterall, I think it showed he IS able to put his hard feelings aside in some instances and can be reasonable. Perhaps PJ did this as a sublte way to show viewers that even tho Thorin goes a bit whacky at the end with his gold-lust, there is still hope for him yet.

Speaking of the gold-lust, does anyone feel it will be a lust for the gold that affects him or just for the Arkenstone itself, which represents Erebor and the throne--over which he is most obsessive? I think it is being able to reclaim Erebor and the throne that really drives him more at this point, albeit, that may well change in the next installments.

I know about Thorin's hatred of Elves (and I've read the book) -- but that little look of disgust when he first heard "made by the Elves" was something I didn't notice in the first two viewings.

I thought it was a nice touch -- the way they showed how it was almost instinctive how Thorin reacted to the word 'Elves'. It was quite subtly done too. They could have made him say "I would not have anything to do with Elves!" a few times more (like when he knew Gandalf was leading them to Rivendell), but I loved how they chose to convey it through these brief expressions :)

And I also like the look Thorin has when Elrond tells him about Orcrist - like he shows sudden interest in the sword, not because it is made by elves, but because of it's name and by implication what it has already done. And he accepts it graciously when Elrond gives it to him, perhaps in part because he acknowledges that Orcrist is Elrond's to give, as it was forged by his kin. I wonder what Thorin would have done, had the roles been reversed. Would he have give a famous, Dwarven sword to an elf?

Having seen what happened in his youth the viewer can sympathize with him. I am not liking Thranduil at all at the moment, tho I am sure he felt justified in his actions. It just seemed like a sorry thing to do to people who had probably come to his aid on more than one ocassion without hesitation.

How he's like, "I'm not going to have anything to do with elves" but then Gandalf tells him he couldn't find a finer blade, and Thorin actually pulls the blade out a bit to look at it before he really accepts it. It was a nice moment.

I also am not a Thauranduil fan at the moment--they could have at least helped the dwarves that were running out of Erebor, they didn't have to turn away. And the way he tilts his head first, it's almost like he's an Observer from the Fringe universe (sorry if I'm crossing universes here). I do look forward to seeing more of him, if only to see if he remains a jerk. I actually am quite fond of Lee Pace.

The scene with Elrond, I thought was very gracious of Elrond to not only tell him of Orcrist and it's name (the Goblin Cleaver) but to return it to him, as though Elrond recognized the whole finder's-keepers thing. I was actually quite impressed with Elrond in this movie. He even smiles a few times. Much more likeable than in LOTR when he's all grim and "You can't have my daughter". ----- Lotr: You know it's been a bad day when even the elf is smudged. TH: when the going gets tough, the tough call the eagles.

I think those lines spoken by Bilbo at the beginning of the story could have referred to both Smaug and the elves. Certainly he thought that their 'abandonment' by the elves in their time of dire need hastened their downfall at Erebor and at Moria.

So, yeah, no love for the elves there. I noted also his look of disgust when he pulled the arrow out of the orc's neck after they had escaped down the slide into the cave. Looking at the arrowhead, he spat, "Elves". "Age is always advancing and I'm fairly sure it's up to no good." Harry Dresden (Jim Butcher)

And he accepts it graciously when Elrond gives it to him, perhaps in part because he acknowledges that Orcrist is Elrond's to give, as it was forged by his kin. I wonder what Thorin would have done, had the roles been reversed. Would he have give a famous, Dwarven sword to an elf?

You might be right in that Thorin might have felt better about using it once it was rightfully given to him by an Elf lord.

Now if anyone remembers when exactly he started using Orcrist? If it's only after Rivendell that would be interesting :)

So, yeah, no love for the elves there. I noted also his look of disgust when he pulled the arrow out of the orc's neck after they had escaped down the slide into the cave. Looking at the arrowhead, he spat, "Elves".

It's not described that way in the book, but movies need to reinforce certain feelings that can't be described. The dwarves are obviously proud of their weapon-making, so it makes sense, and gives you some insight into Thorin and elves.

I noted also his look of disgust when he pulled the arrow out of the orc's neck after they had escaped down the slide into the cave. Looking at the arrowhead, he spat, "Elves".

This was a lovely echo of the moment in FOTR when Legolas looks at the arrowhead in Moria, and spits, "Goblins!" Same beats, same inflections — and I daresay that at that point, Thorin feels about elves pretty much the same way Legolas feels about Goblins.

I think the poster was marking the post due to mention of future book events involving a main character of the first film.

That is a cool article on the Elves/Dwarves history in the books, though! I think the movie invention is intended to simplify this while still having it present as it plays a role in future events, and is referenced again in the LotR movies.

Speaking of the gold-lust, does anyone feel it will be a lust for the gold that affects him or just for the Arkenstone itself, which represents Erebor and the throne--over which he is most obsessive?

- give subtle hints that the Ring may be exerting it's influence (ie. - encouraging their more negative traits and emotions) on the Company (and perhaps other characters) just before the Battle of Five Armies. I know that officially the Dwarves were resistant to the power of the Rings, but they weren't entirely immune (otherwise they probably would have given the Ring to Gimli instead of Frodo).

I hope they don't come right out and say the Ring is responsible for some of the bad decisions made by the 'good guys', but we could get similar scenes (and a similar accompanying score) to the one in Rivendell during FOTR where the representatives of the various 'good' races seemed about to declare war over the fate of the Ring. People watching the LOTR Trilogy later would start to realise why their 'heroes' had started to act seemingly out out of character in the 'earlier' Trilogy. ___________________________________________________

From the makers of 'The Lord of the Rings' comes the sequel to Peter Jackson's Hobbit Trilogy - 'The War in the North, Part I : The Sword in the Tomb'.

Having seen what happened in his youth the viewer can sympathize with him. I am not liking Thranduil at all at the moment, tho I am sure he felt justified in his actions. It just seemed like a sorry thing to do to people who had probably come to his aid on more than one ocassion without hesitation.

Sadly, so far in the films we have a fairly bad picture of the Elvenking. I suspect this will change. He has some very nice moments in the book,m toward the end, and (quoting from memory) says sopmething like "Long will I tarry ere I begin this war for gold." ...showing a fair amount of wisdom and patience with the rowdy folks who have invaded his woodland realm, crashed his party (3 times), and "molested" his people at their feasting... and not said anything about why they were there.

Would he have give a famous, Dwarven sword to an elf? ______________________________

And going by just the character portrayal so far, I'm not sure he would have.

But I so love the nod he gives Elrond when he accepts it, and the expression- because to me there was a look of faint surprise in his face. Very subtle, and just amazing how RA makes every look speak volumes.

That's a great moment from the prologue.Bilbo saying that line as thorin hammers the iron on the anvil.if you look in the appendices that image is straight from the book,awesome moment! Also when he pulls out the arrow and spits 'elves' it echoes legolas picking up the arrow in moria and spitting 'goblins' fantastic movie making Arrow....black arrow,I have saved you to the last.you have never failed me and always I have recovered you.I had you from my father and he from old.if ever you came from the forges of the true king under the mountain,go now and speed well